Apu returns to The Simpsons with new voice after decade away

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 15:02 · Archive

The Simpsons character Apu has returned to the show with a new voice actor after almost a decade.

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon made a surprise return to The Simpsons in Sunday night's Halloween special titled The Revengening, almost a decade after viewers last heard from him. The character was unmasked as a mysterious figure wreaking havoc on his neighbours in the episode. He was previously voiced by Hank Azaria, who put on an Indian accent to portray the shopkeeper.

Apu had not been heard on the show since October 2017, following the release of the documentary The Problem With Apu, in which it was argued that the character and the voice actor's performance played into racial stereotypes. The documentary was made by Indian-American comic Hari Kondabolu. An episode of The Simpsons addressed the controversy the following year, though some viewers found it insufficient. Azaria officially confirmed in January 2020 that Apu had been dropped from his character repertoire, saying: 'We all made the decision together. We all agreed on it.'

Apu has now returned with a new voice actor, Sunil Malhotra, an India-born US-raised actor who has previously appeared in live-action shows including ER, House and The West Wing, as well as animated series. Malhotra said in a statement that it feels like a reclamation. 'It truly is his homecoming,' he said. The Simpsons has confirmed that Apu will remain a fixture in Springfield moving forward.

How it is being reported

• Apu returns to The Simpsons with new voice after race rowThe much-loved shopkeeper has been seen but not heard around Springfield for eight years, until now.BBC News · 19 Oct, 14:22
• Apu Makes A Dramatic Return To The Simpsons After Almost A DecadeClassic Simpsons character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon made a surprise return to the show over the weekend, almost a decade since viewers last heard from him. Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu had been part of The Simpsons since its very first season in 1990, and was originally voiced by cast member Hank Azaria . Hank’s choice to put on an Indian accent to portray Apu had long been a point of contention, but the issue was exacerbated in 2017 thanks to the release of the documentary The Problem With Apu , in which it was argued that the character and voice actor’s performance both played into racist…HuffPost UK · 19 Oct, 11:57

In this story: Apu Nahasapeemapetilon · Hank Azaria · Sunil Malhotra · Hari Kondabolu · The Simpsons · Springfield

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